A Dragon's Secrets
by wolfsdottir13
Summary: When Zuko becomes ill, Katara travels to the Fire Nation to help as much as she can to help him recover, even if it involves facing down dragons and trying to talk to spirits. Rated M for possible future lemons. AU where Zuko was never crowned Fire Lord
1. Beginnings

_A/N hey, tell me if there's anything wrong with it (Spelling or grammar or if the story just isn't there) ... i'm kinda new at this :) thanks._

The maid rushed through to where the Fire Governor sat, drinking his tea. Something bad was happening, the prince was ill, out of control... something very bad was happening.

"Your Majesty," the maid bowed.

"Yes?" the man replied softly.

"The Prince... he's ill... something very very bad. He's spewing fire, his room is singed... something awful is happening! He's burning up, and then going ice cold-" the fire Governor stood and fled to the Prince's room, the maid following closely. Once he got there, he could hear the fire coming from the prince. He could hear the burning and the flames crackling against what ever he'd set on fire. The Fire Governor slipped into the room, closing the door behind him.

On the bed, the Prince lay, sobbing quietly. His arms curled into his chest, as he rolled onto his side and curled up as tightly as he could.

"Uncle.." he mumbled, suddenly shivering. "It... Its hurts, Uncle." he mumbled, shivering violently.

The prince leaned over the side of the bed as fire spewed from his mouth, pooling around on the floor, the flames licking up the side of the bed. The Fire Governor extinguished them quickly, not wanting his nephew to burn.

"All will be well, Nephew." the Fire Governor left the room, turning to the maid. "Send word to the Southern Water Tribe, ask for Princess Katara."

"What should I tell her, Your Majesty?" the Maid asked, looking up at Iroh.

"Tell her Prince Zuko is in grave danger."

Katara threw a snow ball at Sokka, who openly gaped at her. Katara laughed madly, falling to the snow as she clutched her stomach. The young warrior looked back at his sister, shocked.

"You look like a blow fish!" Katara laughed madly.

"I do not!" Sokka grabbed a handful of snow and threw it back at her. "I'm a brave warrior of the Southern Water Tribe, not a blow fish!" Hakoda raised an eyebrow at his children... although, they were no longer children. Sokka and Katara had both seen eighteen winters, and both had blossomed through out the war. Sokka had turned into an amazing warrior, much like Hakoda himself, and Katara had become one of the best healers the tribe had seen.

Hakoda was leaning against the door frame to their own hut when a messenger approached him.

"Chief Hakoda, this has just arrived for Princess Katara." the messenger handed over a scroll, tied with red ribbon. Hakoda frowned as he looked at it.

"Katara! Sokka! Come here, please." he called to his children, walking down the steps of their large ice hut. Katara and Sokka ran to him, wondering what was going on.

"Yes, Dad?" Katara frowned, noticing the scroll in his hand. It had a red ribbon... why would the fire nation be sending them a message?

"This has come for you." Hakoda handed the message over to Katara, who took it from him hesitantly. She pulled the ribbon off, keeping it in her hand as she unrolled the message and read each word carefully.

_Princess Katara, _

_I hope you are well, and your tribe is doing well. _

_Unfortunately, this is not a social letter. I ask for you aid in a matter most grave. Prince Zuko is very ill, which may prove to be fatal. As you are one of the best healers in this world, we ask for your aid to help our prince. _

_Respectfully, _

_Fire Governor Iroh. _

"Katara?" her father's voice pierced through her shocked state. "What's wrong?"

"Zuko... the Prince of the Fire Nation.. he's dying.." Katara mumbled. "Fire Governor Iroh has asked that I go and help him. As a healer."

"Zuko is dying?" Sokka asked. "Dad, we have to help!" Hakoda sighed, knowing his children would just run and do it any way if he said no.

"You leave tonight. Go and pack your things." Sokka and Katara ran through the 'palace' to their separate rooms. Katara found a large enough bag and started to just throw things in there that she might need. She packed some of the clothes she'd been given since her most recent growth. She'd grown in almost every direction. She'd gotten a lot taller than her thirteen year old self, and her bust and hips had grown, making her a very curvy eighteen year old, even with her winter coat on. Her hair was longer and thicker, her skin had stayed the same dark colour. She'd become quite a beauty, every one had told her constantly. She had people from all of the nations asking for her hand in marriage. Her and Aang had never really lasted, he'd decided that they'd taken a friendship and forced it into something else by his doing, so had asked if they could just be friends. Katara was relieved when he'd asked, she knew that they could just be friends. Aang came down to visit often, with Appa and Momo, mainly to go penguin sledding. Katara and Aang had become closer since they stopped dating, both glad to relieve some of the pressure.

Once Katara had packed, she lifted a chest out from under her bed and placed it on her bed. Opening the lid, Katara took out her water pouch, and her only pair of trousers. She pulled the trousers on under her tunic, swapping her great winter coat for a simple cloak instead. She picked up her bag and water pouch, swinging the bag onto her shoulder, and walking out through the palace to where the sleeping rolls should be. She couldn't find them.

"Sokka?" she called. "Have you seen my..." she stopped once she reached the front room. Sokka was rolling up her sleeping roll for her, and his was already packed.

"I've persuaded dad to let us leave early, he says we leave in an hour. Aang's here too." Sokka hoisted his bag onto his shoulder and headed out into the snowy lands they called home. Katara followed him, picking up her sleeping roll as she went.

Out side, the snow from their earlier snow fight had settled down, and Aang was surrounded by a flood of small children. There had been a boom in children since the end of the war four years ago, every one understood why.

"Aang!" Katara smiled, running to hug her best friend.

"Katara! Hey!" he grinned and hugged her back. "You ready to go?"

"What do you mean?" Katara frowned, confused.

"Yeah, Aang? What do you mean?" Sokka asked. "I mean, it's not like not we're glad to see you and fuzz ball over here," Appa groaned at him. "Hey." Sokka nodded in his direction. "But what do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm taking you to the fire nation. I delivered the message to Chief Hakoda." Aang told them. "Zuko really is ill. It's really weird. One day he was fine, we were practising fire bending all day. I went off to Fire Governor Iroh's quarters to discuss something with him before I went to bed. The next day, there was heat coming from his room, and he was spewing fire! From his mouth, and now his nose!"

"What?!" Katara's eyes widened.

"Yep." Aang made a hover ball and sat on it. "YangChen has no idea-"

"Who's YangChen?" Sokka asked, climbing up Appa. Aang blushed a deep red and Katara 'aw'ed.

"She's really nice... and she's an Air Nomad." Aang told them, taking Katara's pack from her.

"I thought they died out?" Katara let Aang help her up Appa, finding Momo sitting in the saddle.

"Her family was travelling around the Earth kingdom when the Air Nomads were attacked. They survived, blended in, and when she was born, she could Air Bend."

"Oh, wow! When do we get to meet her?" Katara asked as Aang climbed onto Appa's head. He reached back and rubbed the back of his neck. Even at sixteen, his childish habits still got the better of him.

"What would you say if I said you can't? Yip Yip!" he called out to Appa, who took off. Katara stopped their conversation to wave to her father, who waved back. Once the village was out of sight, Katara turned back to glare at Aang.

"What do you mean, 'we can't'?" Katara demanded.

"Well... she's gone to the Earth Kingdom while you're both here."  
"Why?!"

"I told her to, just in case she gets hurt by Zuko. He tried to attack me this morning. Iroh wrote the message yesterday to be sent to you."

"Naw, Aang!" Katara threw her arms around his shoulders, smiling madly. "You're in love!" Aang got his lop sided, goofy grin.

"Yeah, she's great."

"And yet you don't want us to meet her?" Sokka asked.

"It's not that I don't want you all to meet, it's just... I don't want her getting hurt."

"Naw..." Katara smiled again. Aang rolled his eyes.

"Can you say anything else other than that?" he chuckled.

"Yeah," Katara leaned away. "How long has this been going on with Zuko? And what other symptoms are there?"

"He says it hurts, he was crying when Iroh wrote the letter for you."

"C_rying?_" Sokka looked doubtful. "I didn't think that fire boy knew how to cry?"

"Well, he's not stopped since this started. He's either crying, sleeping, or spitting fire. His temperature will rise to the point where he should be dead, even for a fire bender, and then drops to the same temperature as a water bender from the north." Aang told them.

"How long will it take to get there?" Sokka asked, worried for his friend.

"We'll get there by tonight, hopefully."


	2. Reunions and Introductions

_A/N Hey, second chapter. Leave comments and such, criticism is always welcome :) have Fun!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar_

By night fall, Appa was landing inside the palace grounds, ready to drop his passengers off. Katara jumped down from Appa before he'd landed properly, bending the water in the air to allow her to land safely. Sokka scowled at her, jumping down when Appa had landed. Aang didn't move, just looked towards the gate. Katara and Sokka frowned at him.

"Come on, Avatar." Sokka shouted.

"Yeah..." Aang stuttered, jumping down carefully. Katara followed Aang's gaze to the gate, watching as a figure appeared. "YangChen? I told you to go to the Earth kingdom-"

"And I didn't listen," the girl replied. "It's a flaw." Katara gaped openly at her. She was _beautiful. _She had long blonde hair that was twisted up into a bun, the moonlight glinted off it slightly. Her hair was shaved back off of the top half of her head, revealing a light blue arrow like Aang's. She wore a yellow and orange tunic, with long sleeves, and orange trousers underneath.

"You're YangChen?!" Katara beamed, grabbing the girl in a hug.

"Yes, I am YangChen... you must be Katara? And Sokka?"

"That's me!" Sokka grinned.

"Aang has told me so much about you both."

"We got told about you too." Katara beamed. "Aang, where's our packs? Could you get them?" Aang frowned, but nodded, bending himself up onto Appa's saddle. YangChen joined him, crouching next to him.

"I couldn't leave you to be hurt by your self. And besides, I wanted to meet your family." YangChen put a hand on his shoulder.

"I told you to leave so you would be safe with Toph-"

"That's another thing... I wasn't pleased about staying away, but I was going to. Please believe me-"

"TWINKLE TOES?!" there was a loud yell from beside Appa.

"Toph?!" Aang looked over Appa's saddle to see the woman who looked a little like his old friend Toph.

"Twinkle toes!" she looked around. Sokka tilted her chin up a little. "Hey!"

"What are you doing here?! Both of you?!" Aang demanded, jumping off Appa. "One of the most powerful fire benders is going insane, attacking pretty much everyone and everything, and you guys show up for some sort of reunion?!"

"Yes." Toph crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Zuko!" Katara hit her forehead with her hand. "Where is he? I need to see my patient."

"Iroh said that a maid would take you to him in the morning-" YangChen told her.

"No, now!" Katara crossed her arms and looked at Aang.

"I know that look... I dreaded that look, no I _dread_ that look. Come on." Aang sighed. Katara took her pack off him as YangChen and Aang leapt down from Appa's back. "Go on, buddy. I'll see you in the morning." Appa wandered off to the stables that had been set aside just for him as the group of teenagers followed Aang and YangChen to Zuko's room. Katara looked to Sokka, who had Toph's hand on his arm. They were laughing over something, and Katara noticed something flash across Toph's face. A crush maybe? Katara smiled softly.

Aang stopped out side of a large, light wooden door, that had a glow coming from inside.

"I'll go in with you." Aang said, but Katara shook her head.

"No, I'll be fine." Katara slipped into the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Zuko was lying on the bed, curled into a small ball, softly crying. Katara's heart broke. Secrets are hard to keep, and hard to break. She'd longed to tell Sokka about that night after the Southern Raiders trip that her and Zuko took, but she never did. She kept it to her self.

Katara crouched next to the bed, hoping Zuko won't try to burn her.

"Zuko?" she whispered, looking at him. He opened his eyes and choked back a sob.

"K..Katara?" he muttered, sweating in the heat that passed through his body. "It hurts.."

"I'm sorry." Katara bit her lip. "What does the pain feel like?"

"K..K..Katara?" he looked at her, his sweat turning cold. He pushed her out of the way quickly before lava like fire spewed from his mouth. Katara's eyes widened as it started to burn the floor, the flames licking down from his mouth. Once the lava had stopped, he flopped back onto the bed, crying again. "Help me." he whispered, silent tears running down his face. Tears spilled over Katara's eyes as she nodded.

"That's why I'm here."


	3. The Painted Fire Lady

_A/N HEY! thanks for all the reviews! I'll be updating on Saturdays, I know it's only once a week, but it means I have no excuse for being late with chapters for you guys. _

**_Disclaimer: I don' t own Avatar_**

They all sat around in Toph and Katara's room. Toph and Katara were sitting on the bed, Sokka sitting next to Toph's side of the bed, Aang and YangChen sitting on one of the very large cushions. Katara had her hands wrapped around a cup of tea, not actually drinking it, just remembering how Zuko looked, lying on the bed, crying.

"He's going to die unless we find some way to help him." Katara finally spoke.

"Sparkles is going to _die_?" Toph asked, gripping Sokka's hand.

"Yes." Katara nodded sadly. "I don't know what it is, but the fire he's... producing, it'll be burning up his insides. It would be killing a dragon." she whispered the last bit, tears brimming at her eyes.

"Then why does Iroh seem so calm?" YangChen pondered out loud. Aang and Katara looked at her. "What?" she looked back at both of them.

"What did you say?" Aang asked.

"I saw him this afternoon, when I returned with Toph... he said that as soon as the Water Tribe people got here, all would be fine... I thought... I just thought it was one of his weird sayings."

"What were his words exactly?" Katara asked, standing up and placing her tea on the floor.

"'When water and fire collide... and find peace with what once happened... all will be fine, and the dragon will rest'?" YangChen watched Katara storm from the room, angry at Iroh. How did he know what had happened, when they still weren't sure themselves?

She didn't know where she was going, she just walked along the corridors until she reached a large, black door. Curious, she walked inside and instantly wished she hadn't.

She'd found the grave room.

She was about to turn away when something caught her eye. She went inside, looking at what she'd seen. It was a picture of a beautiful woman, with a thin black cloth over the painting. She didn't dare move it, but looked at it intently. The woman was obviously a royal, she looked beautiful. Her almond shaped eyes were amber in colour, her hair was black. She had flawless, pale skin, and dark red lips.

"That is Fire Lady Ursa." a voice said. Katara turned to look at Iroh as he walked over to her. "Zuko's mother?" Katara asked, bowing. Her anger for him had gone, left with a little pity and a lot of curiosity.

"Yes. She was a very loving mother. Zuko loved her very much. She may be alive, but Zuko has given up hope."

"What about you?" Katara asked.

"It has been said that I am the most hopeful person alive. Sometimes I believe that, and with this, I hold hope close. Word has been sent to where every she is, I hope she returns soon."

"YangChen said something... I was wondering something... do you know about what happened with me and Zuko?" she asked, looking at the old man.

"Yes."  
"Will you tell me?"

"No, you must figure it out on your own. I hope, that with your help, my nephew will live through this Fire Plague. They say that only dragon lilies cure it."

"Where can they be found?" Katara asked, hopeful.

"They cannot. They are kept by the dragons." Iroh left her to ponder what he meant by her self. She must know what happened to her and Zuko all those years ago... why would she forget?

"Maybe," he pondered to him self. "Maybe it has been locked away in her mind, along with his, and they must figure it out together."

Katara knelt in front of the painting of Ursa.

"Fire Lady? I know you're just a painting, but... Zuko's sick. He's dying." Tears leaked over her eyes for the second time that evening. "Fire Governor Iroh says he has Dragon Plague, but I don't think he does. I hope not." the tears were silent, Katara didn't even feel them falling. "The dragon lilies are the only way to cure someone who is ill... how do I find them? How do I make him better?" Katara scrubbed at her eyes, hoping the tears would stop.

"_Why do you want him better? He spent years trying to kill the Avatar, a close friend of yours." _

"He didn't want to... well, he did. He only wanted his honour back, but he realised the mistake and helped us." Katara sniffed. "He helped us.."

"_Is that all?" _Katara looked around for the voice, it wasn't hers.

"Who are you?!" Katara demanded. "Yes, that's all! He helped me! He helped all of us! He's _dying.._" she cried.

"_Ask the dragons... ask the Avatar about the dragons, find your flower." _Katara nodded at the voice, still crying into her hands.

Toph sat on the floor, trying to wait for Katara, but she was getting sleepy. Sokka had left a little while ago, and Aang and YangChen had left way before Sokka. Toph had changed into her shorts and top for bed, but refused to sleep until Katara came back. She needed to know her friend was all right.

She practised her bending to keep her awake. She was bending metal, but she wanted to try and bend wood- it was part of the earth, right?

She hit the bed frame constantly, trying to figure out how it was put together. She couldn't. Growling in frustration, Toph flopped down onto the stone floor and made a small model of a flower in the rock. She smiled. Not many people knew about the feminine side of Toph, they didn't know about the flowers in her bedroom being put there by her orders, or the fact that she did like being a girl.

Toph heard the door open, and smiled.  
"Katara? Is that you?"  
"Yes." Katara mumbled. Toph heard her move over to her bag, ruffling around for something.

"Where were you?" Toph asked, feeling her way to the bed quickly. She climbed under the covers, wiggling her way towards the pillow. She felt Katara join her on the other side.

"I was... wandering around." Katara told her, tucking the blanket around Toph a little more, the girl hadn't realised it was at a diagonal. Toph shrugged and rolled onto her side.

"G'night, Katara."

"Night, Toph."


	4. Confrontations and Confessions

**_A/N HEY! Thanks for the reviews... if I could explain how much it means to me I would, but I can't. Keep reviewing... it means so much! I thought I'd update twice this week, cause you're all being so nice! _**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: the last airbender. **

_Katara walks down the corridor, towards the room where Zuko must be sleeping. She opens the glowing door, her hand is burned. It doesn't stop her, she goes into the room. The room is pitch black, even though the door was, is, glowing. Katara walks forward, hoping that there may be light. Something flashes out side of the window, Katara sees an outline of a body on the bed. _It's Zuko, _she tells her self. She walks forward, lightning lighting up the room. She walks closer to the bed, looking at the figure lying there. She can't hear anything, not even the storm out side. _

"_Zuko?" she whispers, but there is no response. Lightning crackles out side, noise floods her ears as Zuko is illuminated once more. He is covered in blood, lying dead in his bed. Katara screams. _

"SWEETNESS! WAKE UP!" Toph shook Katara awake, making Katara sit bolt up right in the bed.

"Gees, could you scream any louder?" Sokka hugged his sister from beside her. "We all heard you screaming, we thought you were being attacked by Toph."

"Hey!" Toph objected.

"Are you all right Katara?" Aang asked quietly while Sokka and Toph bickered.

"I'm fine," Katara smiled to him. "It was just a bad dream. What time is it?"

"Really early. Iroh has called for you though, he says Zuko is getting worse." YangChen told her quietly. Katara was out of the bed in an instant, her short night dress barley covering her legs as she pulled on a pair of trousers under it and ran from the room. She slowed once she saw Zuko's room. The door was _glowing_. She ran towards it, panic clutching at her chest. She grabbed the handle and was burned by the heat. She didn't care, she flung the door open and ran to his bed.

"Zuko?! Zuko?!"

"K..Katara?" he looked at her, his one good eye only just open, the other was shut completely. "Y..You... have you...been... crying?" he asked, frowning. Katara sighed in relief, trying not to cry again.

"Yes," she admitted, bending water from the vase next to his bed and placing it around her hands to try and heal him.

"O... Ov...Over me?"

"Yes."

"Well..." Zuko pushed her out of the way to spew more lava onto the floor. He hung off the bed, almost lifeless as Katara used some of the water to put out the flames. "That's interesting." he mumbled. Katara pushed him back onto the bed, hovering her hands over his throat. She tried to heal it a little bit, or tried to soothe it, but she wasn't too sure if it was working.

Zuko closed his eyes and tried to feel Katara close to him. His whole body felt like it was on fire, except his throat. Soon, the soothing feeling left, and his eyes opened again.

"Did it help?" she asked, resting her hand on his.

"Yes." Zuko mumbled, his eyes drooping. Katara smiled weakly.

"I'll be back soon, you should sleep." Katara stood to leave, but Zuko's hand tightened around hers.

"Don't... Don't leave." he mumbled.

"I have to, I'll be right back. I promise."

"Good." Zuko's eyes closed, and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

Unknown to the two, YangChen watched as Katara kissed his forehead and went to leave the room. YangChen was waiting in the corridor for her. Something boiled inside of YangChen, making her suddenly very angry at Katara.

"YangChen!" Katara looked surprised.

"You love him, don't you?" YangChen asked, her eyes narrowing.

"Who? Zuko? No, I-"

"What happened between you two... something must have happened. How could you love _him_?" YangChen asked, slightly annoyed.

"I don't!" Katara snapped, pushing past her and storming through the corridors towards her room.

"You were dating Aang.. but you didn't want to." YangChen accused.

"Neither did he, he was the one who ended it."

"But you didn't care, you loved Zuko!" YangChen pulled her to a stop. Katara looked at her, realising her eyes had gone a pure black. "How could you do that? To Aang? To the Avatar?"

"YangChen?" Katara tried to back away from her, but YangChen threw her against the wall. Katara cried in pain as her back hit the corner of the wall.

"How could you?!" YangChen snarled at her. Aang came running around the corner and gasped once he saw YangChen. He grabbed her arms and pulled her towards a room. "GET OFF ME!" she yelled at him as he placed her in the room carefully, locking the door behind him as he left.

"Are you all right?" he asked Katara.  
"What was that, Aang?" Katara asked.

"Well... when she was born, a spirit kidnapped her. When she was returned to her family, a few days later, something was wrong. She'd get all angry, her rage would over take her. It's just a flaw, she didn't mean any of it." Aang tried to explain, helping his friend climb to her feet. "I'm really sorry, Katara... she was getting better."

"It's OK, she didn't hurt me that badly." Katara looked to where YangChen's screams and shouts could still be heard. Katara looked down. YangChen stopped yelling from inside the room. Aang put a hand on Katara's shoulder.

"Aang?" Katara looked up at her old friend. "What... what if I told you I think I like someone? Someone I probably shouldn't?"

"Why shouldn't you? If it's because they're already dating someone... then that's probably bad."

"No!" Katara laughed at the worried look Aang had on his face. "No, not that." she laughed. "It doesn't matter."

"Does Sokka know who it is?"

"No," Katara paused for a moment. "But I think that he and Toph might be..." Aang's eyes widened slightly.

"Do you think so?"

"I don't know." Katara shrugged. "Although, when he went up to the Earth kingdom last year, he spent and extra four days there."

"Really? That could have just been for Suki..." Aang trailed off. Suki wasn't really spoken of any more. Not since...

"Yeah, you're right," Aang nodded. "He was there for Toph, but they're best friends, it could have just been for that."

"No, you do not spend an extra four days with someone... and besides, Dad was speaking to the people that were in the meetings for those four days, and none of them say that he was there." Katara grinned. "In face, I reckon that they're back in our room... Urg! Our room!" Katara stormed down the corridor to her and Toph's room, knocking on the door lightly.

"Yeah?!" Toph called out. Katara slipped in and saw Toph and Sokka playing a board game. Probably Pi Sho.

"Oh, Hey!" Katara tried not to laugh as she walked in the room. "I did not expect you in here, Sokka!"

"Liar." Toph scowled at her. "But why are you lying? Why _did _you expect him in here?"

"I think you two are having romantic endeavours." she said sarcastically. Her dad was always saying that if you can't lie, say it sarcastically. She watched Toph try not to react.

"Liar." Toph said, but her voice was different. Katara grinned.

"Maybe... Sokka, get out I need to change."

"There's a changing screen right there!" Sokka pointed out.

"I don't care, I want to talk to Toph about something."

"Well," Sokka crossed his arms and stayed sitting. "I'm not leaving."

"OK. I think my period-"

"I'm leaving!" Sokka practically ran from the room, slamming the door behind him. Katara laughed.

"If you start talking to me about that stuff, I'm leaving too." Toph warned.

"No, I was going to say it had nothing to do with it." Katara grinned. "I want to talk to you about Sokka."

"What about him, Sweetness?" Toph leaned back in the cushions she'd piled behind her, her hair loose out of it's normal bun.

"Do you like him?" Katara stepped behind the screen while she changed into her tunic and undergarments.

"He's my best friend." Toph told her truthfully. "Why?"

"Do you think you might like him more than that?" Katara asked, finding her bone comb and sitting in front of Toph, who still hadn't answered.

"Maybe?" she finally whispered. "You can't tell him though, got it?"

"Got it." Katara nodded. "When did it start?"

"We're not talking about this. OK? I've been through a lot with out you guys- did you know my dad actually bolted my windows closed, and locked my in my room? He was so angry when I got back! And then, when I'm finally able to bend- thank you, King Bumi! and yet my dad still insists I'm his hopeless blind girl, who can't do anything." Toph stood up and started pacing with rage, Katara followed her movements carefully.

"And then, last year, on my fifteenth birthday, Sokka's standing below my window in the middle of the night, telling me to escape and be Toph again, and not Miss Bei-Fong. I went, I went away and I earth bended, I was weird, I didn't wear shoes... and when I got back, you know what my dad did? He heightened security. I was only allowed to come here because King Bumi and YangChen came to my house, and Bumi ordered me to go. My father couldn't argue with the king of the Earth Kingdom." Tears had started to leak down her cheeks as she sobbed. "My father hates me, he... he told me to never come back!" she sobbed, falling to the floor on her knees.

"Toph..." Katara's voice trailed off as the girl in front of her sobbed her heart out onto her hands.

"So, yes... there's a possibility I like him more. But he's already told me he's done with the whole relation ship after Suki tore his heart out and ate it." Katara wrapped her arms around Toph and let the girl cry.


	5. Finding Hope

_**A/N hey! Thank you so much for the amazing reviews! Here is another chapter for you guys! Keep the reviews coming! Also, I need some help. I need a water tribe name for a guy, a teenager. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated! **_

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avater:the last Airbender. **

They sat together, Toph crying and Katara holding her, for the best part of an hour. When Toph's tears stopped running, she pulled away from Katara, wiping her nose on her sleeve and drying her eyes at the same time. Katara bended the water out of her dress, sending it out of the window. Toph didn't say anything until Katara hit her on the arm.

"Hey?!" Toph grunted, glaring as best as she could, rubbing her arm.  
"We don't talk about this. For you, and for Sokka. Deal?"

"Deal, Sweetness." Toph held her hand out for Katara to shake, which she did.

"Come on, I need to go to the library, and I would like company."

"Sure," Toph and Katara made their way to the library, taking two seats out to the balcony to bask in the heat. Katara handed Toph a book to carry out side to help her with research, choosing another by her self. Toph and her sat on the balcony, over looking the privet gardens as they sat in silence. Katara read about Fire Lilies, and the rare sub-species, the Dragon Lily.

"Hey, listen to this." Katara sat up straighter. "_Dragon lilies, even though almost extinct, can be found where a dragon may live, somewhere that has an underlying heat._" Toph nodded, thinking.

"So... maybe like an inactive volcano?" she suggested.

"Exactly like an inactive volcano. I need a map..." Katara stood up and went back inside to look for a map. She found on, just of the fire nation, framed by a thick wooden frame, with thick glass. She carried it out to the balcony and placed it on the floor. Toph pretended to look at it as well, hearing the difference and feeling the difference with her feet.

"I think we should try... there!" Toph pointed her finger randomly at the map, grinning. Katara laughed, moving her finger out of the way gently.

"I think that's just a bit of sea... hang on. Back in a second." Katara disappeared into the library again, coming back a moment later with a magnifying glass. Katara knelt in her original position, hovering the magnifying glass over where Toph had pointed. "Oh... Wow."

"What?" Toph asked.

"Where you pointed... there's a tiny island... big enough for just a volcano. That's what the island is. A volcano. Nothing else. It's called... apparently, it's called Ryū No Hi Island."

"Dragon Fire island? Really?" Toph asked. "Sounds a little... creepy?"

"Sounds peaceful, actually." Katara frowned. "I need to speak with Iroh, he might know something about this island."

"He'll be in a meeting, you know, Fire Governor? Acting Fire Lord?" Toph reminded her.

"Oh, right." Katara frowned. "I need to go and see to Zuko again. Care to join me?" Toph nodded hesitantly, helping Katara pick everything up and put it on one of the tables.

"Could you not move this pile, please?" Katara asked one of the servants. "In fact, could you take the two books, the magnifying glass and map to my rooms please?" the servant nodded and made her way, with the objects, to Katara and Toph's rooms. Toph and Katara made their way to Zuko's rooms, knocking on the door before they went in.

Katara had expected pretty much everything that was in the room when she'd opened the door, everything except Mai standing over Zuko, dabbing his head with a cloth.

"Katara!" Toph rubbed her forehead as the Water Tribe princess stopped dead in her tracks. "What you do that for?"

"Sorry.." Katara shook her head and walked into the room. "Hello, Mai." she smiled politely.

"Katara," the woman's voice was still as board as every, like she was annoyed that Zuko was ill. "He's been saying your name for the past hour." that would explain it...

Mai put the cloth down and walked out of the room, her shoulder hitting Katara's on the way past.

"I'll be right back.." Toph trailed after Mai, wanting to at least trip her up. She'd heard the noise that her shoulder had made when hitting Katara's.

Katara knelt next to Zuko, shaking her head at him. There were no scorch marks around the bed, no fresh ones any way, so Katara assumed that he'd stopped producing the fire inside his throat.

"Now, why were you calling me?" she mumbled, covering her hands in the water. She placed them on his chest, trying to soothe him. It worked, she thought. It was hard to tell as Zuko had fallen asleep quickly after she'd started, so she couldn't get any feed back on whether it was actually working or not.

Toph returned a few moments later, a smug look on her face.

"What did you do?" Katara sighed, knowing her friend all to well.

"Nothing! Why do you assume I've done something?"

"Because I know you. I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were, Sweetness." Toph grinned. "And I didn't do anything, she tripped all by her self."

"Toph!" Katara groaned. "Why do you have to be so mean to her? She's the future fire lady!"

"Is she?" Toph frowned. "When did that happen?"

"Well, I just assumed..." Katara stuttered. "Doesn't matter." Katara smiled softly down to Zuko, who'd started to wake up. His face took on a pained expression, so Katara moved out of the way as he shot fire from his mouth up at the ceiling. Toph jumped at the sudden heat in the room, where as Katara remained calm, moving the water from her hands up to the flames, dousing them almost as quickly as they'd been created. Zuko coughed violently, making his whole body shake. Toph could hear the coughs, and the gurgling that came with them.

"Katara... he's got something in his lungs..." Toph told her worriedly. Katara held a white cloth to his lips as he coughed. Once he'd stopped coughing, Katara saw the spots of red on the cloth.

"Hey... Stone-head." Zuko managed to mumble.

"Hey your self, Sparkles." Toph smiled weakly. She'd never seen him like this, she'd never seen any one like this. Well, she'd never seen any one, but she'd never heard any one like this.

"Zuko, lie back." Katara told him softly. She spent a moment quietly while her hands covered themselves in water and tried to soothe his throat. "Mai was in here earlier." she told him, but Toph heard the under tone to it, but didn't understand what it was.

"Was she?" Zuko hissed in pain, something didn't feel right. "Katara... my lung-"

"You were coughing up blood, you're going to feel strange. I have to speak to your uncle. I think I know how to make you better."

"Don't... don't leave." Zuko gasped as more fire fell from his lips. Toph couldn't see, but she felt the heat in the air.

"Katara..." Toph didn't know what was going on.

"It's OK, Toph." Katara extinguished the flames with the water again before calling what little was left back to the vase.

"Don't leave." Zuko whispered, looking at her sleepily. "Please don't leave," it sounded, to Toph, like he was going to cry.

"I'm not going yet, Zuko, you whiner." Katara smiled, although she could feel her eyes go all tingly as tears came forward.

"Katara, I'm gonna go see if Iroh is out of his meeting... see you later, Sparkles." Toph stood to leave.

"OK," Katara looked at her as she left. Zuko didn't have the energy to say good bye to her. "So, Prince Zuko, you finished trying to burn your room down?" Zuko didn't say anything, just looked at her.

"I think... think I'm dying.." he told her, trying to look into the blue pools. He blinked weakly. "That's... that's right, isn't... isn't it?" Katara bit her lip at his question.

"Possibly... but I think I know how to make you better." Katara told him. "Your uncle thinks you have Dragon... Zuko?" Katara panicked as his eyes closed. "Zuko? Zuko!" she shook him when he stopped breathing. The tears that had threatened to spill earlier ran down her cheeks, making her vision blurry. "Zuko, don't you dare, you jerk!" Zuko's lips parted and a long stream of fire shot towards the ceiling. He gasped for air, coughing and crying.

"Katara, it hurts..." he whispered to her. Katara let out a sigh of relief, standing up.

"I'll be right back." she smiled to him, sticking her head out of the room. "AANG!" she shouted. The young Avatar was suddenly by her side, YangChen hiding slightly behind him.

"You don't have to yell. What do you need?" he smiled.

"Could you get me the small red pouch from inside my bag? It should be near the top." Katara smiled to him quickly as he ran quickly to her room.

YangChen fidgeted nervously as they waited for Aang's return.

"Katara..."

"Yes, YangChen?" Katara turned to the blonde haired girl, who suddenly looked very pale, and very worried.

"I'm so very, very sorry about what happened this morning... I don't know what happened-"

"It's all right," Katara told her. "Aang found us, he explained what happened." Katara sighed tiredly. "You will be the next person on my list of healing to do, don't worry. I still want to look at Toph's eyes, I think there might be a tiny tiny chance to get her to be able to see a little again. I don't know if she'd like that though... I'll have to ask." Katara pondered the possibilities for her healing while she was here.

"What... what do you mean?" YangChen asked. "Aang's tried to figure it out.. he couldn't."

"Maybe two heads will be better than one. And besides, Aang isn't a healer. I may have an idea about that actually." Katara watched Aang run back over to them, handing the small pouch.

"What's in there, Tara?" Aang asked, using the shortened version of her name.

"Herbs to dull pain. Willow bark, poppy seeds." Katara shrugged. "I'm hoping it'll stop Zuko from being so sore..."

"Oh," Aang nodded in understanding. "We were going to find Toph, I want to practice my earth bending. We'll be out side if you need us."

"All right." Katara smiled as they went away, and then went back to Zuko, who's head board was now charred. She choked back a sob when she saw a burn mark on his hand. She took out a measurement of willow bark and added it to the water, stirring it with her bending before lifting the glass up.

"Zuko? Sit up as best as you can." she knelt on the bed next to him on the other side from where she normally sat. "Come on," she soothed him as she pulled his chest up, making him sit while he was supported by her. He was too hot, his skin was burning, it felt like he was burning her.

She held the beaker to his lips, making him drink as much as he could before he started to choke on the liquid. She lowered him back onto the bed as he fell asleep.

She had to speak to Iroh, now.


	6. Old Times

_**A/N Hey! Thanks for all the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter! **_

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ATLA**

They all sat around the camp fire, Zuko giving each one of them tea. The cliff top was cold, he could see Katara shivering slightly, even though she had her large coat on. Aang was sitting close to the fire, blowing the smoke away from him as much as he could, Toph had mad a rock cave that was open at the front, no wind was getting to her, and Sokka had taken to shivering in his great coat along with Katara. Suki had huddled in between the two.

Zuko, how ever, felt fine.

Jumping up, Zuko felt the need to do something.

"Come on, Aang. Train." he told him. It wasn't an offer, or a suggestion, it was one of his commands that he knew needed to be obeyed.

"I don't really feel like-"

"It wasn't a suggestion. Come on." Zuko scowled as Aang groaned. Katara glared at him.

"Leave him to rest, Zuko." Katara's teeth were chattering in the cold.

"Why," Zuko asked through clenched teeth. "If you're really that cold, have you not tried to hide in Appa's fur yet?" each person looked at each other, and then to Appa. Sokka and Suki were the first ones to jump on the giant sky bison, who let out a rumble as Katara and Aang joined them. Toph was happy in her little cave, she'd already fallen asleep. Zuko growled quietly as he picked a blanket up to cover the small child. Katara was the only one who could see what he'd done, the others had taken the legs on the other side of Appa to escape the wind. She'd stopped shivering since she'd curled up in her sleeping bag, and in Appa's fur.

Zuko knew she was watching him, but tried to ignore it. He cleared up the camp site before sitting in front of the fire and crossing his legs.

Katara watched Zuko breath in and out, the flames moving as he breathed. The water tribes had nothing like that, they couldn't do that with water. It made her realise that, maybe, just maybe, fire wasn't completely destruction.

"Why are you staring?" Zuko's voice made her jump and stifle a scream, she'd forgotten that he could actually talk. Katara looked at him properly, he'd not moved, and the fire was still breathing with him.

"Er, I'm not." Katara defended, trying to hide her blush that had sneaked over her face.

"Yes, you were."

"Was not!" Katara glared at Zuko. "You don't know me, just because you helped Sokka get our dad back-"

"This has nothing to do with that!" Zuko snapped, the fire raising over the cauldron that was boiling water. Katara pulled out of her sleeping bag and stomped over to him. "You were staring!"

"I was not!"

"Were too!" both teenagers stood nose to nose, glaring at each other. Neither moved an inch.

"What is it with you?" Zuko demanded. "You really seem to hate me, let alone not trust me."

"Because I do hate you!" Katara glared at him some more.

"Are you two love birds gonna kiss yet," Toph asked from her place in her hut. "Cause I wanna let Aang and Sokka know when you do."

"Kiss?!" Zuko and Katara jumped apart, shocked at the idea Toph had suggested.

"Me?! Kiss _him_? You have got to be joking! I'd rather be captured my fire nation-"

"Lips?" Toph grinned and wiggled her toes.

"NO!" Katara snapped, storming off to the cliff side. Zuko stared after her.

"Aren't you going to deny wanting to kiss her, Sparkles?" Zuko remained quiet.

Katara left Zuko to rest while she went to find Iroh. She knew that she had to go to that island, in the hope that the rare Dragon Lilies would be blooming there. She still didn't know if she needed the roots or the leaves or the seeds or the petals. She trailed her hand along the red wall of the hall way as she made her way through the endless lengths. She had no idea where she was going, she just hoped that if she kept walking, she might be able to find Iroh drinking tea and playing Pi Sho. Her mind was wandering through the possibilities of saving Zuko, something had changed in her mind since the night she found the Southern Raiders with Zuko. She didn't know what it was, she was content to just let it sit in it's nest at the back of her mind.

While her mind wandered, her feet found the way to the room where the painting of Zuko's mother was hung. She saw a maid dusting the frame lovingly, her eyes seemed to have tears in, though the maid couldn't have been much older than Zuko. Katara watched her for a moment, wondering why she was crying.

"Excuse me," Katara's voice cut through the silent room like a knife through butter. The maid squeaked and dropped the bucket of cleaning things she was holding, the water going every where. Katara bended it back into the bucket before the woman could realise what was going on.

"P..Princess Katara," The maid put a hand over her heart in shock. Looking at her now, Katara could see that the woman was actually a lot older... maybe in her fifties or sixties.

"I'm sorry to have shocked you, I didn't mean to." Katara smiled apologetically to the maid, who bowed.

"Not at all, Princess."

"I was wondering if you knew where Fire Governor Iroh was, I need to speak to him."

"No, Princess, I do not." the maid kept her head bowed while she spoke to Katara.

_How strange, _Katara thought. _We don't even have servants in the Southern Water Tribe... we still have a palace, though it's about the same size as this room. _

Katara sighed. "Very well, thank you."

"You are most welcome, Princess." Katara had drifted from the room before the maid spoke. The princess had drifted, it was the only way to describe it. It was like she was in a dream state.

Katara headed towards the fire throne room. She really needed to talk to Iroh before Zuko died or killed himself to get away from the pain.

The doors were red and gold, once she'd finally reached them. A man was painting over the golden phoenix that had been painted onto the doors during Ozai's rule.

"I guess every trace of him is being destroyed." she mumbled as she took a deep breath and knocked on the door.


	7. Fire Governor's oppinion

**A/N HEY! here's another chapter. School has just let out, which (Hopefully) means more frequent updates for you lovelys. let me know what you think, Enjoy!**

Katara waited to be called into the room before entering, walking to the table where Iroh was sitting. She knelt and bowed her head out of respect.

"Princess Katara, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Iroh asked.

"Governor Iroh," Katara began. "I need to discuss Prince Zuko's condition with you." Iroh placed the cup of tea he had been holding down onto the table.

"Go on."

"I think there may be Dragon Lilies on Ryū No Hi Island." Katara watched something cross Iroh's face. "I would like permission to leave, only for a few days, and return with some lilies to help heal Zu... Prince Zuko." Iroh thought over the proposal in his head for a few moments.

"How long would you be away for exactly?" Iroh asked.

"Only a week, at the most. I can't tell how long I'd be." Katara winced.

"And how would you get there?"

"Appa." that was easy, the giant fluffy beast wouldn't mind taking her there.

"Who would accompany you?"

"I would go alone." Katara frowned, that probably wasn't the best idea.

"Katara," Iroh's face softened slightly. "That is one of the worst ideas you have told me. Going onto a strange island by your self? You must fly in a flock to survive the storm."

"I don't even know if there'll be a storm, Iroh." Katara told him honestly. "And I need some one here who I can trust with Zuko, who won't try and cut his hair off or something."

"There are healers who would look after Zuko while you were away." Katara shook her head at him.

"Aang will look after Zuko, I know he will. But that also means that YangChen must stay here. I don't mind that. Sokka will insist on coming, of course, but that will mean Toph's company as well, and I can't take two extra people on Appa for no reason. It's a far way to the island, Appa needs his strength."

"You make valid points, but I still disagree with you going alone." Iroh told her firmly. She was about to protest when he poured her a cup of jasmine tea, ending their conversation. Katara sighed and took the cup from him.

"Of course, Governor Iroh." Katara sipped at her tea gently, the liquid reminding her that she hadn't eaten all day. "When will I... we be allowed to depart?"

"Tomorrow morning, if you have every one you should need for your quest ready." Iroh looked at her carefully.

"Thank you, Governor Iroh." Katara stood and bowed, leaving Iroh to his tea. She knew he didn't get many breaks, and she didn't want to crowed the times he did have to him self. Katara made her way to the dining room, hoping that there would be food available soon. The palace was large, but not confusing. It was easy to find your way around, and it wasn't the first time she'd visited.

The dining room was noisy, people were chattering away. She heard Toph and Aang laugh at something that had been said, Sokka chuckling as well. Katara walked in and sat down next to YangChen. The young girl smiled nervously up at Katara before passing her a plate.

"I don't understand what they're talking about." YangChen admitted.

"It's OK," Katara grinned. "Half the time I don't get it either. I think it might be a guy thing."

"But Toph's-"

"As much as a guy as Sokka or Twinkle toes." Toph interrupted, holding a finger up to silence YangChen. "If not more so." YangChen looked to Aang, who shrugged.

"How's your earth bending coming on, Aang?" Katara asked.

"Not quite a master, and I some how doubt I'll be as good as Toph, _ever_, but I'm getting there." Aang smiled proudly. Katara noticed how he'd taken YangChen's hand under the table and she smiled.

"Hey," Toph looked in his direction. "You're stance is still off, and you keep trying to use _water bending _moves on rock! It'll never work! You need way more practise."

"I know," Aang told her, defending himself. "I said that!"

"In fact... lets go practise now." Toph went to stand but Katara coughed.

"No." Katara told her, putting a fire flake in her mouth and waiting for the spice to die down in her mouth. They weren't as bad as she'd thought they would be.

"What was that, Sweetness?" Toph asked, looking shocked.

"No, I need to talk to you both before tonight. It's very very important." Katara told them, leaning back as she bit into an apple.

"But-"

"No! Also, I bet Aang hasn't trained in Water Bending for ages."  
"I did some the other day!" Aang lied, hoping no one could tell.

"Liar." YangChen smirked at him. "You've not done any for weeks." Aang looked flabbergasted. "Katara's slightly more scary than you. Sorry," YangChen smiled.

"I'm sure she'll make it up to you tonight." Sokka smirked as both Air Nomads turned a deep deep red. Katara bended the liquid in his cup onto his face. Katara laughed at him. Sokka glared, even though he was soaked.

"Oh, lighten up, Pony Tail." Toph huffed, handing him a napkin to wipe his face with. "What do you need to speak to us about?"

"I know where to get the plants to heal Zuko with. Sokka, Toph, will you go with me? Aang, YangChen, could you look after Zuko?"

"Of course." Aang frowned. "When are you leaving?"

"I'm leaving tonight."

"And the others?" YangChen asked into her goblet.

"Not."

"Katara!" Sokka scowled. "Dad said-"

"Sokka," Katara hissed. "Shut up!" one of the servants passed by them with out hearing what they were saying.

"Katara..." Aang started.

"I'll need to borrow Appa, if that's OK?" Katara bit her lip.

"Only if you answer me something."

"Deal."

"Why don't you want us going with you?" Aang looked into her blue eyes over YangChen's head. Katara sighed.

"I don't know, I just know that you can't come. Please understand." Katara pleaded.

"When exactly are you planning to leave?" Sokka sighed, standing up to join them at their side of the table. Toph did the same.

"Just after night fall. It'll have to be pitch black for my plan to work."

"Which is?" Sokka asked.

"I'm going to climb out the window and find Appa then." Katara smiled hopefully up at Sokka for his approval.

"You do remember that the whole palace has steps leading up to it? So your room is, like, four floors above ground level. Katara, you'll break your leg." Sokka rolled his eyes. "OK... OK... here's the plan. We'll kind of need Zuko in on it."

"He's dying," Katara snarled at Sokka, annoyed at her brother's stupidity.

"That's the distraction for Aang."

"What am I doing?" Aang asked.

"You're going to get Appa, and fly him under Katara's window."

"But there'll be loads of guards." YangChen told him.

"Zuko goes BOOM! in his room, guards go running, Iroh's distracted, me and Toph make sure no one goes into Katara's room, and she's on her way."

"OK, sounds easy enough. We just have to Zuko in on it." Toph shrugged.

"That might be the difficult part of the evening." Sokka sighed.

"Actually, I think it'll be easy." Toph piped up. "I think I know how we can get the dragon to cooperate."

"How?" Katara asked. Toph grinned wickedly.

"We're gonna tell him the twisted truth."


	8. Plans, Scars and Trust

_**A/N HEY! So, it was pointed out that I'd forgotten to tell you guys something. Zuko is Prince Zuko because in my AU, he never became firelord. I'm pretty sure that hasn't been mentioned yet, so I thought I would let you guys know. Thank you to**_**storyoftheunknownfangirl _for pointing it out. Any way, here's another chapter. Enjoy!_**

**DISCLAIMOR: I don't own ATLA. **

Sokka started the plan by slipping into Aang and YangChen's room and nodding before going back out. Iroh noticed the weird movement. He knew the teenagers were up to something.

Sokka went into Katara and Toph's room, just as Toph left, walking down the hall to Zuko's room. She opened the door and slipped in. She took a deep breath.

"Zuko?" she stuttered, nervous. Zuko opened his eyes, worried.

"T...Toph?"  
"She left, Zuko. She says there's no hope. She's run away. Not even Iroh knows. She wanted me to tell you. She says there's not a chance. And she really has left." the words went through Zuko like a knife would have. He drew what little strength he had left and shot a fire ball as large as the room out of his hand.

There was an explosion from in side the Prince's room. Every guard ran towards it, leaving the coast clear for Aang, Appa and YangChen.

Appa floated just underneath Katara's window, waiting for the water bender to climb on. YangChen helped her down before both her and Aang floated back through the window.

"I'll see you in a few days. And make sure Toph's OK?" Katara sat on Appa's head, looking up at her family. "Appa, Yip Yip! Ryū No Hi Island." the giant beast flew soundlessly through the court yard and towards the island. The three teenagers went through to Zuko's room, where Toph met them out side.

"Didn't lie once, Twinkle Toes," she grinned at him, leaning against the wall, one foot on the wall and her arms crossed. "Just bended the truth. He thinks Katara's run off because there's no hope for him, what I actually said was that there was no hope. I didn't say _who _there's no hope for. There really isn't for Azula any way." the grin that spread across her face threatened to split her face in two. Sokka grinned back. The smile dropped suddenly.

"Shit..."

"I suppose you all know where Katara has run off to then?" each teenager slowly turned to face Iroh, who had crossed his arms over his chest.

"Actually," Toph spoke up. "We don't. She didn't tell us before she said she had to leave."

"Toph!" YangChen hissed. "I thought he wasn't supposed to know."

"We all helped, and he won't get it out of us _why_ she left the way she did," Toph told her. "We won't tell him."

"It is classed as with holding information from the Fire Governor." Iroh told them.

"So it is." Sokka stood his ground with Toph. Iroh turned to Aang, who looked away from his eyes.

"Where has Princess Katara gone?" Iroh asked.

"I don't know, I didn't ask." Aang told him. "And to be honest, I trust Katara enough to do what's best." Iroh looked over the four teenagers, remembering that three of them had been children fighting in a war. Each face showed the signs, all of them except YangChen's, who's face showed a different war.

Aang had been through so much, he believed he'd let the world down twice, and his people were dead. He was one of the only four air benders left, the other three being YangChen's family. He was only sixteen, and he was already a war hero, and the Avatar. Avatar Roku had only become the Avatar when he was seventeen. Aang had been the Avatar since he was twelve.

Toph held the scars of an unloved life behind the none seeing eyes she had. Her blind eyes held the worry and doubt she had of her self, which is why she'd tried to run away so many times. They held the trust that she had for people she knew, and she knew Katara. She trusted her.

Sokka was the water bender's brother. He'd seen the remains of his mother, the burn marks marring her flesh. He'd only just seen them, but the shadows over his face told any one who looked closely enough that he'd witnessed too much blood and death over his years. His face showed that he had been the only warrior of his tribe, and the pressure on his shoulders to look after his sister. Why would he let her go off by her self if he thought it wasn't safe?

YangChen barley knew the girl who she'd helped, but the battle scars on her face didn't mean she hadn't had a hard life. Iroh could only see the faded ones, the ones that had been caused as a baby. Her eyes held something else, they glowed as if she were a spirit. She seemed a young child, too young to have the scars she did. Like all of them.

Too young to have the scars they carried.

Iroh sighed. "She has sailed into a storm with no cover, and no hands."

"You're wrong," Toph told him. "Sorry, Old Man, but you are. She has all the cover she needs, and we're waiting for Appa to come home telling us something bad has happened."

"If that happens," Sokka told him. "We're going after her with Appa." Iroh nodded and slowly left them. Katara would be safe.

Katara lied down on Appa's head and looked at the map, swinging her legs in the air. The map was framed with a lighter frame that YangChen had found, ink showing her the route she should be taking.

"OK, so if we go straight for a little while, we should get there, right Appa?" she looked at him for his approval, which he voiced with a loud groan. "Good." Katara put the map into her bag, which was tied to the saddle before lying on her back on Appa's head. It was warm, the temperature higher than it would have been in the South Pole. Her thoughts drifted to her father, and how he was doing. She wished she could see him, know that he approved of what she was doing. A tear leaked down her cheek as she remembered the day they'd gone home. They'd only spent a few extra days in the Fire Nation, a few extra days with out their dad, but it was still enough time for the tribe's chief to take over and make at least two ice huts. They'd both ran to GranGran, who'd hugged them both tightly. Hakoda had walked over, smiling and hugging the three members of his family.

"_Dad, GranGran..." _Katara'd had tears running down her cheeks. _"You're both proud, right?" _

"_Katara, Sokka," _Hakoda had pulled back to look at his children. _"Not once in my life, have I ever not been proud of you both." _

Katara's eyes drooped as she started to fall asleep, her thoughts filled with her father's smile.


	9. Dreams of Dragons

**_A/N Thanks for all the favourites and follows you guys have been giving!_**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ATLA **

_Katara walks through the black, trying to work out where she is. She turns in a full circle, trying to see anything in the dark. She couldn't see anything. Nothing, zip. Nada. _

_Katara walks forward, knowing that if she stays still, something might get to her. Walking is harder than it should be. She feels like something is pulling at her feet, but when she looks down, there is nothing there. Katara thinks about calling out to the black, but her brain tells her that it is a bad idea, threats could be inside the black. She stays silent. _

_Katara continues to walk forward, hoping to see something that could help her find where she is. _

_She sees a light. It's a golden, orange light. It seems to be... breathing. _

_She walks towards it carefully, realising how light her foot steps were on the floor. _

_The light is coming from a door. The door is pressed firmly shut, but the orangey golden glow still emits a lot of light. Katara looks at it for a moment. The door is black, just like the rest of this place. She can't see a door handle, or any way to open the door. Hesitantly, she reaches out a hand to touch the door, but stops just before she touches it. What if it's hot? Her hand draws back to her body. She doesn't want to touch it any more, but curiosity gets the better of her and she touched the door. It is hot. _

_Katara pulls her hand back from the door, the white hot pain doesn't register for a few moments. She can feel her hand throbs painfully as she opens her mouth slightly. Although the throbbing is painful, she doesn't understand it for several moments. _

_Katara screams in pain. _

_Zuko looks around this dark place, reaching a hand out to make a flame. With the bright fiery glow in his hands, he sees he is.. no where. Everything is still dark. Zuko looks around again. Where is he? Hang on.. Zuko looks at himself. He must be dreaming, because he's not dying. He feels fine, actually. It was most definitely a dream. _

_He thinks about trying to wake him self up, but remembers the pain that covers his body when ever he is awake. It's like fire, crawling and burning him, both inside and out. He can't ever remember if it's going to go away. He hopes so. He hates not being able to stop his fire bending. He hates the crying, he hates the pain. Most of all, he hates the way he can't see anything when he opens his eyes. He hates how he can only just tell the difference between two voices. He hates being weak. _

_Zuko tries to hear anything he can. The silence is unnerving. He walks forward, hoping that his footsteps will provide the noise needed to calm him. It doesn't, he doesn't make any sound as he walks, which annoys him more. He wants noise, to know he is not walking in a dream. None comes. _

_Walking forward seems the only smart thing to do, so Zuko continues to walk. Walking is easy, the silence is annoying. _

_Except, it's not silence. A scream rips through the air. Zuko drops his flame and runs forward, noticing a light in front of him. His feet make no noise as he runs, even though they really should. He runs as fast as his legs will let him, something is familiar about the voice that's screaming. He slides to a stop in front of the person, his eyes wide.  
"Katara?" the figure looks at him, a hand clutched to their chest. _

"_Zuko!" Katara blinks. Why is he in her dream?_

"_Are you all right?" he asks, grabbing her hand to look at it. It's badly burned. Katara lets him take her hand, and raise it towards his face. "You're burned." _

"_Yeah, I touched the door." she tells him, nodding in the direction of the door. _

"_Do you know what's behind it?"_

"_No," Katara shakes her head. "I have no idea. It won't open." Zuko reaches a hand out to touch the door, but Katara grabs it before he has the chance. "What are you doing? Did you not listen to what I just said?"_

"_I'm a fire bender, our temperatures are hotter than Water benders." Zuko explains. _

"_Pft," Katara rolls her eyes. "You're just trying to get me to say you're hot." Zuko grins at her, a hand going towards the door. _

"_Is it working?"_

"_No." Katara grins back, happy to finally talk to him with out him trying to burn her. _

"_Then why are you grinning?" Zuko grins widely, feeling happier than ever before. _

"_Shut up and open the door." Zuko chuckles as his hand goes towards the door, but the light goes out and they are plunged into darkness. Katara yelps. Zuko reaches a hand out to find her, but he doesn't have to, she's jumped next to him, huddling into his chest. Zuko wraps a protective hand around her waist, lighting a fire ball with the other. _

"_What's going on?" Katara whispers. _

"_I...I don't know." Zuko looks around with the fire ball, hoping to see something. He sees nothing. "The door... it should still be here."Zuko tells her. _

"_Should we try finding it?" Katara looks up at him, wondering why she's hugging him so closely. Zuko looks down at her, seeing the fear in her eyes. Something angry rises from deep inside him, who ever is behind that door was scaring _his _water bender. _

"_Yes." Zuko holds his hand out towards where the door should be, and pushes. Orangey golden light floods the pair, blinding them for a few moments. Zuko and Katara look through the door and see something moving towards them. Suddenly, a dragon face appears in front of them and _screams_._

Katara woke up with a start, looking around. She was still on Appa's head, she'd been sleeping. Katara stretched, making a small squeaking noise. She heard a roar, much like the one in her dream. She looked down, seeing a volcano appear from no where. She gasped as Appa descended onto the island.

"Ryū No Hi Island."

Katara and Appa landed on the island, next to the volcano. The land was barren, there was nothing there. Appa made a sound of hunger, and Katara winced. She'd not thought to bring food for her companion. Katara made her way over to the water's edge, trying to find sea prunes to feed to her friend.

After gathering enough prunes for him, Appa seemed not to like them but he did eat them, Katara made her way along the beach. It seemed quiet enough, nothing was happening on this island. Nothing was growing.

"Great, just great, here for no reason." she muttered to her self, walking over to Appa. "How would you feel about flying me around the island for a little bit? I really do need those Dragon Lilies for Zuko." Appa roared in approval as she climbed onto his back.

Appa flew low to the ground so Katara could see anything that was there. All of the soil was dusty, and grey.

"Maybe they're _inside_ the volcano, what do you think Appa?" Katara pulled on his reins to get him to fly to the mouth of the volcano. Appa didn't seem to like the climb, almost as much as he didn't like going into tunnels, but he still flew towards the top of the volcano for Katara. The volcano stretched into the sky for what seemed like hundreds miles, not the few it really was. Appa seemed to grow tired, so about half way up, Katara made him sit down. He'd done very well, having flown all night. Katara pulled out her flint and stone to light a fire, deciding that the small ledge was the perfect place to make camp. They'd rest until tomorrow morning, and then go in search of the Dragon Lilies properly. Appa needed to rest, and Katara's sleep had been anything but restful.

Katara pulled all of the things she'd brought with her off of Appa's back, sorting them to where they needed to be and go. She sat near the fire, her legs pulled up close to her chest, looking out towards the Fire Nation Capital.


	10. Visits From Spirits And Unwanted Guests

_**A/N So, hey. I Have no excuse for not updating in, like, a week. I offer that life has gotten in the way, and I've been super busy. I apologise. I hope all you lovely people can forgive me? *Flutters eyelids* Enjoy.**_

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ATLA**

Zuko opened his eyes hazily, wishing sleep would over take him. What ever Katara had given to him had worked, he'd drifted to sleep with out any pain. And the dream had been _so nice. _Wrapping his arms around Katara and holding her close. Her skin had been soft, he'd expected that, but her hair was soft as well, he hadn't expected that. He'd expected it to be more frizz than waves, but the waves were soft and silky.

Zuko looked to the side of his bed and saw someone standing there.

"Katara?" he asked, looking at it. He felt like dragons were setting his skin on fire. It was too warm, why were there heavy sheets on him? He felt the fire creep up his throat and pushed who ever it was out of the way, just in time to feel the burns for on his throat as this lava poured from his mouth, burning everything in it's path. He laid limply over the side of the bed, just wishing it would go away.

"It's me. Aang." the person told him. It was cold. Where did those sheets go? Zuko shivered, his teeth chattering in his mouth, each time putting pressure through his head that made it feel like it would explode.

"Oh.. hey.." he stuttered, curling up in a small ball.

"I have things for you to drink... Katara gave them to me." Aang told him, helping him to sit up. Zuko's head suddenly felt very light headed, as if it would fall off at any moment. He tried to sit up, he really did, but each and every muscle in his body told him not to.

Aang pulled him into a sitting position, helping him to drink the liquid. Zuko began coughing, turning his head towards the sheets. Aang noticed the small splatters of red against the already red sheets.

"This isn't good." Aang mumbled as Zuko drifted off to sleep again. Aang left him to sleep, air bending his way to find the others.

"How is he?" YangChen asked just out side the door. Aang felt sorry for her, having a spirit fight against you the whole time.

"He's doing better-"

"Urg! Why does this world hate me?!" she spat at him, storming away. "The brat deserves to die."

"YangChen!" Aang grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"I'm not your precious Air Nomad, fool, I am a being more powerful than any of you."

"Which spirit are you?" Aang asked. "I'm the Avatar, the link between your world and-"

"Aang?" YangChen slumped forwards, Aang only catching her. "What... What happened?" she asked, finding her balance again. YangChen sat down against the wall, crossing her legs into the meditating position. Aang joined her. The clothes she'd 'stolen' off him last night fit her well, the trousers and robe in the normal orange and yellow.

"You went all spirit-y. You said that Zuko deserves to die." Aang told her, intertwining his fingers with hers. She gasped and looked down.

"I didn't... oh, Spirits!" YangChen pulled her legs up against her, hiding her face in her knees.

"It's not your fault, it was the spirit." Aang reminded her softly.

"I can't deal with it for much longer, it feels like it's eating me." she sobbed quietly. Aang's heart broke at her cries. He hugged her tightly.

"It's OK, it's going to be OK."

All they could do was hope.

Hakoda looked around the village, which was once again filled with life. The men had returned to their wives and families after the war. Hakoda had been happy to see so many wives crying with joy that they had returned.

Hakoda watched fathers play with young children, the work having been done. His mind wandered to Katara and Sokka, how they were doing in the Fire nation. He missed his children, he missed them around the house, he missed them starting fights with one another, but always laughing it off. He missed the noise, spirits did he miss the noise.

Torikya walked over, his little girl in his arms. The young girl was only three, but already as strong as her father.

"Are you OK, Hakoda?" he asked, moving his child in his arms so she was comfortable.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine." Hakoda smiled to him, and the little girl he carried.

"You seem a little..." Torikya trailed off, not having the words to describe the mood his chief was in.

"Lost?" Hakoda supplied, smiling slightly. "I am. I miss Katara and Sokka. I miss the noise. They'd have cause at least one fight by now." Torikya laughed.

"I'm sure they would of. You should be happy for them though, they're safe. And back with their friends."

"With one of them dying," Hakoda groused. "I'm sure they're having barrels of... fun?" Hakoda stared at the scene in front of him. People in the ever growing village were moving out of the way, making their children move for something. "Get the women and children out." Hakoda told Torikya hurriedly, grabbing his spear from where it stood. Torikya moved quickly to do as his chief had told him, wondering what was going on. Hakoda walked carefully towards the on coming procession with a few of the men, who'd managed to grab weapons before joining their leader. The procession stopped in front of him. A man, a little shorter than Sokka would have been, stepped forward. This man was not muscled at all, he was weak. Hakoda raised an eyebrow.

"Can I help you with something?" he drawled, ready to protect his home.

"Get out of my way, peasant." the man sneered. "I am here to speak with the chief and only the chief."

"I am Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe." the man seemed taken back at what he had said. Hakoda tried not to glare.

"Well, I am Bornejoule, of the Western Water Tribe," the man told Hakoda, who looked surprised.

"I didn't even know there _was _a Western Water Tribe."

"Well there is," Bornejoule snapped. "I am here for what is rightfully mine." Hakoda looked down at the little man who had come into his tribe and disrupted everything, and then been rude to him.

"And what is that?" Hakoda asked, holding his spear tightly.

"The Princess Katara."


	11. Old Faces, New People

**_A/N: HI! Another chapter! That's about it! Enjoy!_**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ATLA **

The night had been as restful as possible, considering the bed she slept on. Appa seemed rested enough, he was wondering around the small ledge. Katara packed the camp she'd made up into the bags, putting them all into Appa's saddle and tying them securely.

"I'll climb today, if you'd like Appa." Katara talked to Appa as if he would speak English back, which he never did. Appa just let out a roarish groan and started to fly up the volcano. Katara climbed after him. She liked climbing, she always had. Often, her and Sokka would go out and find the biggest ice burg they could to try and climb. Katara won almost every time.

Climbing gave her the chance to take her time, and still see everything she would have seen on Appa's back. She liked climbing, but there was a stage when her arms and legs started to hurt, and she called out to Appa to come and get her. She only had to wait a few moments before Appa was there, ready to jump onto. Appa flew her to the very top of the volcano to look inside.

"Fly down there Appa, I need a closer look." Katara asked, bending the water from the clouds into her water pouch.

Appa flew down carefully, not wanting to land, just in case there was lava. When his paws did touch something though, it was soft, and smelt nice. He looked around to see him standing on a thick layer of rock, with wild flowers all around him.

"These must be the Dragon lilies!" Katara grinned, jumping down off of Appa, sliding down his tail, and towards the flowers.

"Don't touch them," a voice warned. Katara gasped and looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. "Don't touch them."

"Why not?" Katara asked. "I only need a few... it's to heal someone. They're ill."

"Dragon Lilies cause an awful rash to those with out the gene." the voice was feminine, and soft.

"I need to heal my friend! I was told Dragon lilies would help!" Katara told them, still looking for the voice. She edged back to Appa.

"Who told you that?" Katara looked around, glancing over something that made her eyes move back. She saw a shadow in the shadows. It seemed the Volcano had another ridge, in the shade, almost like a balcony. That's where the person was standing.

"Another friend." the figure laughed at her.

"Leave, child. Go before they find you."

"Who's they?"

"My companions. My friends, if you like." Katara smiled softly at the answer.

"I have to help my friend though. He's gotten really ill. He could die."

"Then why did you leave him? If he does die, wouldn't you rather be at his side?" the figure moved, they started to walk towards where Appa was standing, though they never left the shade.

"I would, but I'm not going to let him die. What's your name?"

"I'd rather not say. Besides, I don't know your name. Or your friends."

"My name is Katara, I'm a healer."

"You're barley eighteen, and you say your a healer?" the figure shook their head. Katara could see that their dress was a light red colour, with orange underneath. It was made from a light fabric that seemed to swirl around her feet in the breeze.

"I'm from the Water Tribe, the Southern Water Tribe. I'm a Water Bender."

"Really?" the woman's voice changed, they seemed intrigued. "You're a long way from home."

"As I said," Katara followed their movements with her eyes. "I came to help my friend."

"You're very brave. I know that the war is over, the Avatar and his friends stopped it. And... and Prince Zuko of the fire nation."

"I'm trying to help him, Zuko. Prince Zuko." Katara watched the figure's head snap up, looking at her.

"Zuko is ill?" their voice had become very worried, more worried than Katara had expected. "How ill? Why do you need Dragon Lilies?"

"I... why do you care so much about him being ill?" Katara narrowed her eyes, pulling some of the water from her pouch out to bed if needed.

"Answer my questions first!" the person pleaded.

"Answer mine now!" Katara snapped back. The figure walked towards them, out into the sunshine. Katara gasped. She knew that face, she _knew _it.

"I'm his mother," the figure walked towards Katara. "Why is he so ill?"

"You're... You're Fire Lady Ursa?" Katara asked, unable to believe it.

"Yes, please," Ursa's voice begged her. "Why do you need the fire lilies?"

"Iroh said they would cure Dragon Plague, which is what Zuko has. I expect both are annoyed at me now." Katara stared at the beautiful woman in front of her.

"Is... Is Zuko OK? You can't take the plants, they need to be fresh. They'll only be fresh if someone with the gene is with them until consumption." Ursa covered her face with her hands in worry.

"What do you mean, Gene? And who are your companions?" Katara asked, putting the water back into her pouch. Ursa looked up.

"They'll not like you being here. You have to leave, you and your..." Ursa looked at Appa, who grumbled in response. "You have to leave."

"Not until I have my Dragon Lilies to help Zuko!" Katara crossed her arms and glared at Ursa.

"You can't take them! They'll poison you and kill him with out their consent!" Ursa tried to explain.

"Who's consent?! I don't understand!"

"Please, you have to leave-" Ursa pushed her towards Appa, but a tremble in the ground made them both stop. "Oh, no. Please, for your own safety, go!" Ursa pleaded.

"No! I need to help _your _son!" Katara snapped, struggling against the older woman. Another temble broke through the ground and Katara looked around, scared.

"Who is this... visitor?" a raspy voice asked. Ursa said nothing, trying to think of a way to save Katara's life. Katara looked around, she couldn't see anything.

"I am Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe," Katara stood up bravely and looked for her enemy. Ursa gasped at the boldness. "I am here to help a friend, he's ill."

"So I hear." the voice replied. "Why would we be able to help? Why _would_ we help?" Katara continued to search for the voice while Ursa stood still, her mouth slightly open and her large amber eyes wide.

"Because he's dying!" Katara snapped. The voice laughed and the ground trembled.

"Why do we care?" it asked. "Another dead human is fine with us. In fact," Katara's blood ran cold at the voice. She could tell what it was thinking. She edged closer to Appa. "Why wouldn't we kill _you _for coming here?"

"Because... Because!" Katara looked around for the voice. Ursa seemed to snap out of her shock and ran to Katara.

"Please, leave, Katara of the Water Tribe. Find some other way to help my son-"

"You're son?!" the voice asked, it's tone changing. Ursa looked up.

"Yes, Zuko is ill."

"And what of the witch? What of Azula?" the voice asked. Ursa flinched at the voice.

"She's insane." Katara told it, looking around. "She's in a healing ward where no one can harm her, and she can harm no one." Katara saw a small shape moving in the far edge of the volcano.

"Good." the voice replied from the opposite direction. "Now, how do you know that your son is ill with the Dragon Plague?"

"I don't," Ursa replied. "I never asked her to help by getting Dragon Lily roots."

"Yet you are telling her it is the roots she needs." the voice seemed become impressed with her.

"He's my son. A mother never forgets." Ursa bit back the tears in her eyes.

"Who are you?" Katara asked the voice. She saw a large shadow move directly in front of her, the object getting larger, as if it was standing up. She instantly regretted asking.

"I am the nightmare every young maiden has," the voice moved towards her, getting larger and larger. "I am the person who watches for evils, I am the one thing that even the great _Sozin_ feared, yet Roku worshipped. I am the down fall that made the greatest fire benders turn tail and _run._" the shape stepped out into the sunlight and Katara had to bite back a scream. It was just bigger than Appa, a gracefully armoured beast with long, strong legs and large, dark green wings. It wasn't like the fairy stories that her mother and father had told her. It was far, far bigger and scarier.

The beast looked at her, it's red eyes burning with anger. "I am a dragon."


	12. Dragons

_**A/N HEY! So, I've not updated in ages, I'm really very sorry. Other stories have gotten my attention, which is sort of annoying, cause I do want to finish this. Any way, here you lovely duckies are, another Chapter.**_

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ATLA**

Katara bit back a scream and held her breath. The dragon was _huge_. It's large teeth hung over it's lower lip, glinting in the sunlight like great swords.

Katara's blue eyes stared with fear at the gigantic beast, not moving. The dragon seemed to smirk and raise an eyebrow.

Ursa bit her lip and looked between the two, hoping Katara would say something _not _stupid. The silence stretched out for several minutes, even the bison with the water tribe girl was keeping an eye on the dragon and Katara.

Finally, Katara opened her mouth to speak. "You're bigger than I was told." Ursa's blood ran cold, but to her surprise, the dragon just chuckled.

"Bigger than your water tribe flying serpents?" he asked, walking slowly around the group in the middle of the volcano, his eyes not moving from Kaatara and Appa.

"The water tribe doesn't have... Flying Serpents?" Katra frowned. "We don't have Dragons, or flying serpents."

"You did once upon a time." the dragon sighed. He walked like a big cat could, stalking his prey. Each step was taken on purpose, each foot landing where it was told to. Katara's eyes watched the movement, seeing that his head stayed up instead of like a cat's, who's head would be close to the ground. "Water serpents and dragons would fly through your blue seas, in all four corners of your nations."

"Four? There's only the Northern and Southern tribes." Katara told him, confused. The dragon looked sharply at her and sighed again.

"There was once a time when the water tribe was one of the biggest nations, just split up. There were the swamps to the east. And the jungles to the west. The poles as well," the dragon stopped and looked to the sky. "Ursa," Ursa looked up to him. "Find Callia. I will watch over the girl and her..." the dragon looked Appa up and down, making the beast roar back at him. "Companion." Ursa nodded and scurried off to the side, disappearing almost as quickly as she'd appeared. Katara turned back to the dragon, who was standing still.

"You said there were Eastern and Western water tribes." Katara pulled her self up Appa's side to sit in the saddle. It made her feel a little less small. The dragon looked down at her.

"Because there were."

"How come they're no longer around?"

"The Eastern Tribe was killed off by the Earth Kingdom almost a hundred years ago, and only a few people remain in the swamps."

"The Swamp water benders?" Katara asked. The dragon nodded. There was something about this girl, something... interesting.

"Yes. And the jungle tribe, just out side of the fire nation islands, I don't believe they've died out yet. Don't your elders teach you anything?"

"Hey!" Katara scowled. "My elders have taught me everything they know."

"Then they know very little." the dragon looked away from her, towards where Ursa had left. Where was she with Callia?

"Why don't the Dragon lilies work without your consent?" Katara asked, looking over the green and orange lilies.

"Why do you want them so badly?"

"I need to heal Zuko." Katara shrugged, but felt her cheeks start to turn red.

"Why do you want to heal him? I thought he's tried to kill you before now."

"He was only doing it to get his honour back-" Katara was interrupted by the Dragon's laughter.

"You really think that you can give and take some one's honour? Did he really think that? I must congratulate Ursa on her son's stupidity."

"He's not stupid!" Katara defended. "He was only doing what his father ordered him to do."

"His father?" the Dragon looked at her as if she were stupid. "That's his excuse? For trying to kill the Avatar more than once? His excuse, for almost putting the world in another war is the man who couldn't even stay true to Ursa?" the dragon snarled. Katara tried not to flinch in fear. "That man is _nothing _but a pathetic excuse of a human."

"Sorry.." Katara mumbled. The Dragon said nothing but looked away as Ursa and another girl came out of the shadows and walked towards them. The girl had flowing red hair, and red eyes like a dragon. Ursa bowed her head when they stopped while Callia greeted the Dragon.

"Hello, Draigor." the girl smiled. "Why did you call me?"

"This girl wishes to have Dragon Lilies to heal Ursa's son." the Dragon told her. "Personally, I do not care if we kill her or let her have the lilies. You should decide."

"Why does she want him healed?" Callia asked, narrowing her eyes at the dark skinned water tribe girl.

"He's my friend," Katara told her softly. "I don't want him dying." Callia clicked her tongue off the roof of her mouth as she thought about it.

"You'll stay with us for a day, to see if you really mean what you say. You and your..." Callia raised an eyebrow at Appa. "Sky Bison? I thought only Air Benders-"

"I borrowed him from my friend, Aang." Katara explained quickly. Draigor didn't look at Katara, but focused on Callia instead.

"We are taking a human into our caves? One with out the gene?" he asked, walking past Appa and Katara to Callia.

"I think... no, I _know_ something else is going on here. Please? Trust me, Uncle?" Callia stuck her lip out and pouted. "Please?" Katara raised an eyebrow, completely ignoring the uncle. She slid down Appa's tail and stood next to Ursa, who smiled gently.

"I don't think I've ever heard of someone trying to bribe a dragon." Katara told her, watching Callia's eyes widen as if she were a moose-dog puppy.

"She's not trying, she is." Ursa smiled. "They're very close." Katara nodded in understanding. Ursa looked to the flowers that were in the sunshine. Suddenly, both Callia and Draigor looked at them both.

"Come." Draigor walked towards the shadows. "You will be staying with us for tomorrow." Katara looked to Ursa, who had started to walk towards Callia and Draigor.

"What about Appa?" Katara asked.

"Your companion will be allowed to stay and taken care of." Callia assured her.

"He doesn't like tunnels or caves." Katara told her. "I could send him home."

"How would you get back?" Callia asked her coolly. "You would be stuck here."

"I hadn't thought of that." Katara bit her lip and looked down.

"I'd gathered." Callia sighed. "Your companion will be well looked after. I assure you. He is smaller than the dragons." Callia followed Ursa and Draigor towards the shadows. "Come." Katara looked to Appa, who stood next to her.

"Come on Appa, we have to." Katara and Appa followed them through into the shadows, towards a large archway. Katara took a deep breath and let herself be swallowed by the darkness.


	13. Practice

_**A/N Hey! Sorry, this week has been really busy! It was my brother's birthday on Tuesday so we've all been doing stuff when parents could get time off and things! Any way, I'll leave you lovelies to enjoy this chapter! Enjoy!**_

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ATLA **

Aang and YangChen pulled the air, turning round to step out and push it backwards. They were practising their Air Bending. It was calming, both were doing their best to not create hurricanes with the way some things were going. YangChen was always good at controlling her anger, she'd lived with a spirit inside of her for the last sixteen years, she was good at keeping her cool.

Aang on the other hand sucked at keeping calm. He was almost as bad as Toph was. He was getting more and more worried about both Katara and Zuko, and madder and madder that they'd all let Katara fly off to some random fire nation island by her self.

YangChen had finally stepped in and suggested some practise. She'd been lounging around in his trousers and her top all day in the hopes that he might want to do some training. He'd been snapping at everyone and everything that went wrong, causing all of them to get worried.

Toph and Sokka watched them both practise from the side lines.

"I never knew that Air Bending could be so graceful." Sokka noted. "I've only ever seen the fighting side of it."

"I guess each element can be graceful and a weapon." Toph shrugged. "I'm yet to see the graceful side of Earth Bending. It's very exact movements."

"You'll find it, don't worry."

"Who said I was worrying, Pony tail?" Toph looked away, worrying slightly.

"You sounded like you were worrying." Sokka told her, looking back to Aang and YangChen.

"Well, I wasn't." Toph stood up and walked over to where Aang and YangChen were practising. "So, how you feeling now, Twinkle Toes?" Toph leaned on one leg and crossed her arms under her chest.

"Better," Aang smiled to YangChen. "I guess I was over reacting."

"Just a little," YangChen smiled. "Have you calmed down?"

"Yes." Aang nodded, sitting on the floor as Momo ran over. "Hey, Momo."

"Do you want to have your butt kicked at Earth Bending yet?" Toph asked.

"Nah, I'm good for a while." Aang told her. "You could always try and beat YangChen."

"I don't know... I don't want my butt being kicked too hard." YangChen smiled timidly.

"You're really good, don't worry." Aang smiled.

"And I'll go easy on you." Toph grinned. "Come on!"

"Fine..." YangChen took a deep breath as her and Toph readied them selves.

"I have to go see to Zuko, are you going to be OK?" Aang asked them both.

"Yeah, sure thing Twinkle Toes." Toph waved him off. "We've got this." Aang stood up with Momo and headed up the steps to the window they'd all climbed out of (Toph had made the steps). Zuko's room was just down the hall way from the window they'd been using as a door way. His room emitted heat, you could feel the temperature rise from two doors down.

Aang stopped out side his room and took a deep breath.

"Hurry up, Katara." he whispered, opening the door and walking into the blistering heat.

Katara looked around, the small glowing lanterns now lighting the cavern they'd stepped into. Tunnels, bridges and steps led to different caves and rooms. Katara stared, eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Several dragons were wandering around the cavern, walking next to humans. One dragon, who was actually quite small, about the same size as Appa, seemed to be playing with a small child. The dragon was puffing smoke rings at the toddler, making them giggle loudly.

"This place is amazing.." Katara looked around to Appa, who looked comfortable enough in the caverns.

"The catacombs have been here for centuries, it made sense to build out of them." Callia shrugged. They walked forward, so Katara and Appa followed. Callia and Draigor were talking quietly, seeming to know the paths off by heart. Ursa stayed close to Katara, wanting to offer her some comfort. This was the girl who was trying to help her son.

"Katara?" Ursa finally whispered. "How is he?"

"Zuko? Puking fire."

"No," Ursa looked down. "I meant, how was he? Before this, during the war?"

"Still angry at being banished, there was a lot about honour." Katara tried to remember everything that she could. "He was worried about you. He wanted to know where you'd gone."

"I wanted to return, but I couldn't. I was banished-"

"So was he, he just broke the rules a lot." Katara sighed, putting a hand on Appa's side. It was the only part of comfort she could offer him.

"Do not blame Ursa," Draigor scowled at Katara. "It is not her fault."

"I wasn't trying to-"

"Silence, human. This is not her fault, you will survive well to remember that." Draigor and Callia turned into a cave, knocking on the wooden door that had been placed there. There was a soft call of 'enter' before Callia pushed the door open. Katara followed them in with Appa to see a large, purple dragon lying on a bed of straw and branches, with some gold mixed in. She had a small child, maybe eighteen months, lying next to her, sleeping and hugging her front leg like a teddy bear. The dragon was looking down at the child as if they were the most important jewel in the world.

Katara recognised the look, it was the same look their father had when looking at her and Sokka, it had been the look their mother had given them when she'd tucked them in.

Katara looked away when the child stirred and stretched loudly.

"Unka Draigor." the child reached her arms up towards the dragon, who put his snout down to the child to nuzzle her and blow a smoke ring in her face. The little girl giggled before turning back to the dragon. "Who girl?" the child pointed to Katara and blinked.

"She is Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe." Callia told the child.

"And very important to a young prince, I see." the new dragon smiled, raising her eyebrows slightly. "I didn't think there was enough of a gene in the boy to do that."

"You!" Katara's brain finally clicked on where she'd seen the purple dragon before. "You were in my dream last night! You screamed at me!" the purple dragon looked taken back.

"No, I cannot go into human dreams... I went to visit the prince last night."

"Zuko?" Ursa asked.

"He was in my dream too." Katara looked between the two dragons and the two humans. "What does that mean?"

"Er..." Callia looked to Ursa, who looked to Draigor, who looked to the new purple dragon.

"What does it mean?" Katara demanded.

"Well... it means he's more dragon that we thought." the purple dragon looked at Ursa.

"No kidding!" Ursa cried. "You said he would be safe! He... I... oh, Spirits!" Ursa bit her lip and started to pace. "I bound his powers... that's why he could produce lightning. _I _have put my son in danger!"

"Ursa, calm down!" Callia told her sharply. "We have other things to deal with."

"Some one please tell me what's going on!" Katara cried angrily. The small girl made a chirping sound, and Katara watched as the girl started to... change. Katara's eyes widened as the girl grew wings and purple and green scales, a long tail and very large teeth. She was small, about the same size as an ostrich horse. She'd turned into a baby dragon.


End file.
